


Always Partly Cloudy

by makeupourminds



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Canon-Typical Violence, Case Fic, Child Abuse, Child Death, Drug Addiction, Drug Use, Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, Fluff, Gavin is not, Graphic Description, Heavy Angst, Implied/Referenced Drug Addiction, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Internal Conflict, M/M, Mild religious undertones?, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Pacifist Best Ending (Detroit: Become Human), Religious Conflict, Smut, Victim's parents are religious, Violence, mild alcoholism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-20
Updated: 2019-07-20
Packaged: 2020-07-08 15:16:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19871746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/makeupourminds/pseuds/makeupourminds
Summary: A small brunette little girl, Quinta Holloway, lay naked in a bathtub full of ice, skin pale and tinged blue from the freezing water. Despite the lacerations on her left inner thigh and throat, and the fact that she was missing her right leg from the knee down and her left hand, the water showed no hints of blood.And somehow, through all that gore, Quinta looked nearly peaceful.-Title inspired by the fic Mint Condition by itsdefinitive





	Always Partly Cloudy

__You give me bad vibes, bad times  
Bad nights with you  
Yeah, I get bad energy  
Sick pleasure from you

K Flay- Bad Vibes

After a two hour long drive, Reed put his car in park, killing the engine and listening as it spluttered into silence. The blaring neon of the motel sign cast the car in a vague haze of red, 'Brothers Inn' blinking every few seconds to signify dying bulbs. Suddenly he missed his bed. He let out a deep sigh, resting his forehead against the steering wheel and closing his eyes. Salvation if only for a moment. 

He lulled his head to the side, quietly taking in the android seated next to him through heavy lidded eyes. The largely silent car ride had taken its toll on Reed, allowing him too much free time to get lost in his own head because no one was actively pulling him out of it. Yet, Rk- Richard, he wanted to be called Richard- seemed unaffected. He sat with his hands folded in his lap, legs crossed, quietly taking in his surroundings while his LED shone blue against the rain pelted window. The blue emitting from his temple mixed with the red neon in the raindrops on the window, contrast swirling in the water like the opening shot to a sci-fi film. It felt appropriate.

"You gonna tell me why we're here, tin can? Cause considering you just made me drive two fuckin' hours based on nothing, you better have a pretty good reason," He tried to sound angry, but the bite wasn't as harsh as he'd wanted. He needed Richard to drop the whole 'dark-mysterious-partner' schtick for more than two seconds so he could get his information and then go fall face first into the stiff mattress of whatever grubby room he was doomed to for the night. 

"I've contacted the Calhoun County Sheriff's Office in regards to a recent child homicide case they are investigating. I believe it may be connected to the case we investigated last week," Richard replied absently, eyes trailing a particularly large drop of rain down the windshield. 

"The Santino case? There's no way, we already booked the dad on that one," And God forbid if they were wrong, they'd definitely have a wrongful arrest lawsuit on their hands. 

"You already know my feelings on that decision, Detective," Nines muttered in annoyance, "Or perhaps you would, if you learned how to listen to anyone but yourself for once."

"What did you just fuckin say to me? You god damned-"

"In any case," The android interrupted sternly, fixing his partner with a strict stare, "In the morning we will meet with the Sheriff and discuss the details of the case. If it indeed follows the criteria of the Santino case, they've agreed to fully cooperate with us in turning the case over to our jurisdiction."

"Whatever you say, Terminator."

"Detective, we've already discussed the name calling, my designation is Richard and I insist-"

"Yeah yeah shut up, listen, can we get a fuckin move on so I have time to tell Tina to feed my cat before I pass the fuck out?" He didn't wait for an answer before he slinked out of the car, begrudgingly pulling his hood over his head as he trudged to the door concealing the front desk. 

"Name?" Came the unenthusiastic drawl of the man slumped behind the desk, very clearly running on nothing but caffeine and the vague feeling of dread associated with the clock on his computer terminal. Not that Reed could say that he was operating any differently.

"Reed, Gavin," Chimed Nines from behind him, causing the detective to jump and instinctively put his hand over his gun. He glared over his shoulder at his infuriatingly tall partner. 

"You're in room 2C, enjoy your stay," The employee sighed, dropping a room key onto the counter and ignoring Reed expectantly waiting for another key to another room. 

"You've gotta be kidding," He muttered angrily as Richard began to walk away, following behind him and attempting to keep his voice low, "You only got one room? You know what privacy is, dickhead?"

"We will only be staying for one night, Detective Reed. I see no reason in taking up two rooms solely to indulge your uniquely human need for the illusion of privacy."

"I don't think a fuckin wall counts as an illusion, Orwell," He grumbled as they climbed the staircase to the second floor, itching at his scarred nose. He needed a smoke. 

"With walls as thin as these, you'd do just as well dividing the room with a shower curtain."

"Jesus Christ just- go inside. I need to make a call, since your plastic ass dragged me out here with basically no heads up," He bit out, digging his phone, cigarettes and lighter out of his pockets as Richard- for once- followed orders.

He pressed the speed dial for Tina and balanced his phone between his shoulder and ear, cigarette hanging off his lip as he shielded the lighter from the wind.

"Chen, darling, can ya do me a favor?" He spoke the second she picked up, shoving his lighter and cigarette cartridge back into his pockets. He took a deep pull from the cig and leaned his forearms on the railing of the balcony. He almost didn't care about the rain soaking his sleeves. Almost.

"As long as you never call me darling again, sure. Whaddya need big guy?" She readily offered, the sound of pots and pans banging together overwhelming the mic. 

"Drop by my apartment and make sure Moth and Church get fed, will ya? Fuckin I, Robot over here decided he wanted to go on an impromptu road trip so I'm stuck in Battle Creek for the night," How he managed to drive two hours based on little to no information confused even himself. He'd just chalk it up to being tired. 

"You've been working together a week and a half and he's already made you his bitch," The sound of Tina's stove lighting clicked as she chuckled. She really needed a new stove, "Is it work related or are you two finally gonna fuck? I don't think you need to go two hours outta town just to do that, but to each their own I guess."

"God, please shut up," He pleaded with a roll of his eyes, perking up as his phone lit up to signal another call, "You're the worst, just make sure my cats don't die. I gotta go, 'nother call coming through. Talk to you later T," He cut her off mid laugh, staring down at the new caller ID with a bone deep type of exhaustion. 

"Gav? Uh, where are you?" The quiet and squirrelly voice of Leo Manfred itched its way through the phone, the mild urgency sagging Gavin's posture just a little more. 

"I'm out of town for the night on a case," He closes his eyes and takes another drag of his cigarette, "Everything alright kid?"

"What? Yeah, yeah I'm fine, everything's fine I just- just need a place to stay, is all," Leo always had a choppy, mildly panicked way of talking. Like he was always running from something. Gavin taps his thumb on the banister. 

"When's the last time you smoked?"

"Three days. I'm not high, I promise, I just- I can't be at home right now. Please." 

Gavin sighs.

"Passcode is 6824. There should be a twenty on top of the fridge, order yourself a pizza or something. You gonna stay the night?" It was routine by now. Though, usually Gavin was there with him. Another pull of his cigarette.

"Uh- yeah, I think so, if that's okay. When are you coming home?" 

"I'll be home tomorrow night or Friday morning. Feed my cats while you're there, alright? I'll talk to you tomorrow," He didn't have to go but his cigarette was almost done with and he didn't feel like spending anymore time in the rain. 

"Alright, uh, thanks again, Gav. Goodnight."

"Night, Leo," When he'd taken to caring for a drug addicted 28 year old with daddy issues he didn't know, but it was the new normal at that point. He'd met Leo on call in his beat cop days, took him out of his old man's house when his dad didn't feel like dealing with him. Leo became a familiar face and eventually started venting to Gavin on the rides back to the station. Somewhere along the line casual family gossip became hanging out whenever he needed to get his head out of shit. Not that Gavin necessarily hated the company. There was a certain level of irony in the fact that one of a detective's only 'friends' was a druggie. He cared about the kid, but that didn't mean Leo didn't tire him out some days.

He stubbed his cigarette on the banister, flicking the butt to the ground. He watched it flit off the balcony and drop into a puddle, water immediately soaking what was left of the filter. He felt a little bad for littering, but he turned to head inside before he could think on it for too long. 

The room was all beige tones and chipped paint, inoffensive furniture plucked straight from the early 2000s. Plain white bedsheets and pillow cases only added to the feeling that this was meant to be an imitation of a home, any and all personalization missing. It didn't look at all like any decor one would see in high-tech Detroit, which would have been comforting to Reed if he were familiar with this town at all. Instead it just made him feel more out of place, more aware of the fact that he was in a low security room in a town he didn't know whatsoever. He suddenly felt hyper aware of every noise filtering through the walls of the room. 

The android was right, the walls might as well have been made of paper. 

"Everything settled, Detective?" Richard said without turning to him, LED circling yellow as he sat on the bed with his back to the wall. Weird. 

"As settled as it's gonna get," He murmured tiredly, walking over to his bed and sitting on the edge. He hadn't had to share a room with someone in years, especially when that person wasn't sleeping in the same bed. Something about motels and hotels always felt off to him, and he supposed that was one of the reasons. Not that he wasn't overjoyed that the android was at least decent enough to get a room with two beds.

"Wait a second, who's paying for this room? It may be under my name but I ain't payin' for your little road trip," He sneered at Richard. 

"The precinct will cover it because this trip is work related. As a seasoned Detective, you should probably know how these things work," Richard quipped seconds later, only slightly turning towards his target. 

Sometimes he thinks all the anger management in the world wouldn't be enough to stop him from wanting to punch that asshole every time he opens his mouth.

"Oh fuck off you prick, I'm not 'seasoned,' I'm 36," The android doesn't say anything in response, but Reed can feel the smug grin without having to look. 

He wiped his hands over his face, peeling off his jacket as he toed off his shoes. Glancing over his shoulder at his partner, he debated whether or not to sleep in his jeans. At home, he'd either sleep in boxers and whatever t-shirt he wore that day, or throw on some sweatpants if it was colder around the apartment. But this wasn't home, and his skin was already crawling at the idea of simply sleeping in the same room as that hunk of plastic. But the idea of sleeping in jeans was just a bit too uncomfortable, even for a self-proclaimed gay disaster. He had a spare change of clothes in his car, it was only practical in his sometimes messy line of work, but there were a few problems with that. One, he'd rather die than walk back out into the rain when he'd already taken his shoes off, and two, those clothes didn't have any pants that'd be more comfortable to sleep in than his current jeans. 

After a few moments of contemplation, Reed decidedly stood with his back turned to the android and unbuckled his belt, taking his gun from it's holster and setting it on the table. Ignoring everything else in his pockets he slipped the jeans down his hips, the shuffling filling the almost deafeningly silent room. As soon as he could he quickly tucked under the duvet and protectively tugged it around his shoulders, pulling out his phone to shoot Tina a text.

_ Gav: nvm about the cats, leos gonna stay the night _

He didn't have to wait long for a reply.

_ T: aw he's already moving in, im so proud of you for taking ur relationship to the next step  _ ❤️

_ Gav: do you just think i fuck every guy i come into contact with _

_ T: wouldn't put it past you, ur thirsty enough _

_ Gav: shut up go to sleep _

_ T: u first babes _

He didn't dignify her with a response, instead opting to tuck his phone under his pillow and turn off the lamp on the bedside table. He'd never noticed how bright an android's LED could be until that moment, encased in total darkness save for that persistent blue circle. It was uncanny, knowing that that glowing ring belonged to a sentient being, a six-foot-whatever mechanical menace carrying something similar to emotions. Nothing about that circle, in it's ebbing rotation and ever present luminosity, helped Reed feel safe or calm. He doubted he'd get any sleep with it lighting up the room like that.

"Goodnight, Detective," Richard called into the darkness, voice much softer than he'd heard before. That was a new one.

Reed didn't reply. 

* * *

The next morning at 9am sharp, they sat in the Calhoun County Sheriff's office in front of Sheriff Denis Abott, who was rifling through a beige filing cabinet as they waited. Sheriff Abott was an older man, mid 50's most likely, though he didn't look out of shape whatsoever. Strong features and a jagged nose reminiscent of strength, and the bags under his eyes reminiscent of too many long nights at a stressful job. He looked like any County Sheriff Reed's ever seen, grayed mustache included.

The office looked like someone had pulled it out of the late 90's, though Reed was sensing that as a theme for the whole town. Off-white walls with deep navy carpeting gave the room a tacky feel, the one small window behind the Sheriff's desk hindering the amount of natural light in the room. Sitting in front of the desk and beside Richard, Reed couldn't help but be reminded of the distinct feeling of sitting in front of his Highschool Principal's office with his mom, ready to be told he was going to be suspended yet again. 

"Found her Monday morning, round 8am. The realtor for the house found her in the bathroom upstairs, that poor bastard," Sheriff Abott sighed, dropping the case file onto his desk and pushing it in front of Reed. He promptly ignored Richard, though his eyes lingered on the android's LED a second too long. Reed figured this was the first time the guy had seen one in person, especially one working as a detective.

Reed opened the folder slowly, immediately wincing a bit at the graphic crime scene photos on top. With fifteen years worth of skin in the game, he was able to handle nearly every crime scene he could come across. But not ones like this, not ones involving children. 

"Jesus Christ," He murmured, forcing himself to flip through the photos.

A small brunette little girl, Quinta Holloway, lay naked in a bathtub full of ice, skin pale and tinged blue from the freezing water. Despite the lacerations on her left inner thigh and throat, and the fact that she was missing her right leg from the knee down and her left hand, the water showed no hints of blood. The entire scene was remarkably clean for such a gruesome crime, aside from the body the bathroom would have been of no suspect. 

And somehow, through all that gore, Quinta looked nearly peaceful. Were it not for the almost ghostly coloring of her lips and the skin under her eyes, he'd almost say she looked to be sleeping. He took a deep breath and passed the photos to Richard, unable to look at them any longer. 

The worst part was that this wasn't the first time in the past week he'd seen this M.O. 

"When did she go missing?" His partner asked beside him, LED rapidly cycling as he analysed all the information in the pictures in front of him.

"April 3rd, 'bout a week before we found her. Coroner can't determine time of death because of the freezing," Abott offered. His exasperated tone seeped through his words and deepened the wrinkles in his features.

"It says here you think she was taken out of town after she was abducted," Reed observed the file from afar, leaning the smallest bit closer to Richard in order to see, "Why?"

"Listen, Detective Reed, with all due respect, we don't have any fancy police robots to do our work for us," Abott intoned, leaning forward, "When one of us goes missing, everyone in town notices. We had search parties going around the clock to find Quinta every day until Monday. If she were in town, we would have found her."

Reed bit back a sneer and remained silent, willng the anger flaring in his chest back down. Small town precincts never liked giving their cases up to the big city, much like how the DPD would rather burn the building down than hand a case over to the suited fuckheads at the FBI. He understood the irritation, but that didn't mean he'd just take being talked down to.

"We are going to need to visit the crime scene and talk to the victim's mother. If you could forward the addresses directly to me, that would be appreciated," Richard cut in, grabbing a pen and sticky note pad from the Sheriff's desk and writing down his serial number. 

"... Or I could just write them down for you. Be much easier than figurin' out all that techy bullshit."

"Well, yes, I suppose you could do that," Richard paused and handed the pen over to Abott, furrowed brows pulling his features downward. Reed tried to hold back a snicker at the most advanced piece of tech in the world being caught up by some old man who couldn't get with the times.

They left the building twenty minutes later with a list of addresses and several folders worth of physical case files. When the Sheriff had started printing off copies of every page of the files Reed was pretty sure he was just fucking with them at that point, but he had to admit, it was worth it to watch the mood ring in his partners temple blink yellow the more time they wasted. For an essentially immortal being, Richard sure was fucking impatient, even if he didn't think he let it show. 

"If I may ask Detective-"

"You may not," Reed quickly cut in, teeth grit as he tipped his sunglasses off his head and into position on his nose. The last thing he needed was a migraine from all the light and Richard's robotic monotone. 

"You seemed rather uncomfortable back there," The android continued smoothly anyways, ignoring the irritated bunching of Reed's nose, "Are you alright?"

"I'd be much fuckin' better if you would shut your metal trap for once, dumbass," Reed hissed back, speeding up in his already hurried attempt to get to the car. He quickly climbed in and wiped his hands down his face, not bothering to look up when the door opened.

"Detective-"

"Let's just get this interview over with, it isn't going to be pretty." Reed cut in once again, thumb nail scratching lightly at his nose, again "What's the damn address?"

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoy what I do please leave a kudos and tell me what you liked about it! If you love what I do please consider donating to my Ko-fi at https://ko-fi.com/gardenvariety which would help me keep writing :) 
> 
> Find me on tumblr at cursedreed900 💕


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